11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it.
I've heard it said, "Everyone is a leader." OK. But, I think that we need to take a look at what a leader really is before we apply that moniker to "everyone." Jesus talks about leadership in several ways but, one of them is in the form of the shepherd. In this verse the primary difference between a shepherd (leader) and a hired hand is very obvious... ownership. Investment. Care. The good shepherd is so invested in the care of his sheep that he is willing to lay down his life for them. When they wonder off he doesn't go home and rest... he finds them. When the predator is in the woods he doesn't play around... he protects. He is invested in them and his life depends on it. The hired hand is just doing a job. One is selfless. The other is selfish. This is where I would question whether we truly can say everyone is a leader. It is obvious who is just doing a job and who is invested. It boils down to the question of, "how much?" How much are you willing to give to care for those in your charge, those you work with, your family, your friends? How much are you willing to sacrifice for their betterment? If you are only doing the amount necessary to get paid you are not a leader... you are a hired hand. Are you invested or are you just doing a job?
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